It was a dark and stormy night ... Well, this is San Diego, so maybe not.

Even if our Halloween weather is more likely to be steamy rather than stormy, as a cook, I still look forward to autumn. Some may lament the passing of summer’s sweet corn and heirloom tomatoes, but come October I’m itching for my first slice of Honeycrisp apple pie, a steaming bowl of butternut squash soup topped with crisp brioche croutons, or my absolute favorite — beefy, bone-in short ribs slowly braised in beer.

If your days of trick-or-treating with little ghosts and goblins are over, and you’re looking forward to a more grown-up dinner party this Halloween, a simple braised dish is the perfect choice. Braising combines liquid — in this case beer — with low heat and a long, lazy simmer in the oven to deliver succulent, fork-tender meat in a rich, flavorful sauce.

I love party dishes that I can plan well ahead of time, and braising allows me that luxury. These short ribs are best made at least a day or two in advance. If you have the time, season the short ribs with salt and pepper the day before cooking, covering them loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerating overnight. This allows the salt to permeate the meat, enhancing the flavor as well as drying out any excess moisture. The short ribs will brown beautifully

if you follow this initial step, deepening both the color and taste of the final sauce.

My original recipe, very similar to a Belgian Carbonnades Flamande, uses a Belgian Abbey or Trappist beer, but San Diego is a craft beer paradise, and I thought it would be criminal not to employ one of our local brews in my dish. I contacted Brandon Hernandez, an award-winning San Diego food writer and beer expert, to help me navigate the maze of beer varieties from pale ale to brown ales, porters, bourbon-barrel aged brews, and Russian Imperial Stouts.

San Diego is known for its bold, crisp IPAs, but a darker, smoother beer was what I needed to braise my beef.

“Brown ales and porters are mellow and more neutral, with some roast but nothing overpowering,” Brandon told me. “The imperial stouts will bring more roast and some savory chocolate notes, plus, typically, added viscosity to your sauce as it reduces.”